These tacos are lighter than your average tacos because not only are they made with chicken, they are loaded with vegetables
I used onions, sweet peppers and celery, but you can use any vegetables you like, clean out your fridge!
If you’re using leftover cooked vegetables you can skip the saute part
I added drained canned corn to the vegetables once they were cooked and filled the bottoms of the taco shells with refried beans, seasoned with taco seasoning
The beans act as sort of a “glue” to hold the chopped veggies
These stand up shells {Stand and Stuff Old El Paso} are perfect for baked tacos, with a wide, flat base, and no pre-cooking necessary
They are gluten free and only 65 calories each
I topped the beans with a thin slice of pepper jack for another layer of flavor
Next the veggies
Next the chicken, cooked and shredded
I used leftover grilled chicken, but Rotisserie chicken from the deli is an easy option
And finally, a sprinkle of grated sharp cheddar, opt for 2% cheese if you prefer
Each taco is a meal in itself!
10 shells fit perfectly in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish
These tacos can be assembled ahead of time, stashed in the refrigerator for baking later
Loaded Chicken & Vegetable Baked Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh, canned {drained} or frozen {thawed}
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 cups chopped sweet peppers
- 1 cup refried beans {I used Old El Paso Vegetarian}
- 2 T taco seasoning
- 10 stand up taco shells {like Old El Paso}
- 5 thin sandwich slices of Pepper Jack cheese
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar or 2% cheddar
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 T olive oil
- optional garnishes: shredded lettuce avocado, tomato, light sour cream
Instructions
- Saute onion, celery and peppers in olive oil and butter about 10 minutes until soft. Stir in corn.
- Mash beans with taco seasoning and divide mixture, spreading about 1 1/2 Tablespoons in the bottom of each taco shell.
- Top beans with 1/2 thin slice of pepper jack cheese, sauteed vegetables, then chicken and finally grated cheddar. Can be covered and refrigerated at this point for baking later.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until hot and melty. If dish has been refrigerated, baking time may be slightly longer.
- Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado and/or a dollop of sour cream if desired
Enjoy!
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